Hudson-based oil company’s delivery delays create concern

Staff reportJanuary 05. 2014 8:03PMA spokesman for Gov. Maggie Hassan said the administration is “very concerned about the issues” raised by delays in fuel deliveries from the Hudson-based Fred Fuller Oil Company, but has seen nothing to indicate a wider issue with supplies of oil.

Consumers have complained of difficulty in getting deliveries, especially under automatic deliver and pre-paid contracts, with some worried about running out of fuel.

The company was taking calls from customers for deliveries on Sunday night, with one operator reporting that a “full crew” was on duty.

Fuller could not be reached for comment.

An 81-year-old Bedford man said Sunday he had to pay a premium for another fuel dealer to bring him oil after not receiving a delivery since mid-November, despite a prepaid automatic delivery contract.

The man, who did not want to be publicly identified, said he usually receives deliveries every 30-38 days in the winter. but was kept waiting for 67 days.

That proved to be too long, and with the gauge on his tank hovering at the empty mark, the Bedford resident said he turned to another company, which only had the capacity to provide 100 gallons of fuel.

The replacement company charged a $100 emergency delivery fee, in addition to the $3.85 per gallon price for the fuel. Fuller’s advertised price is $3.669 per gallon when paid within 10 days.

The delivery issues have been blamed on a spike in demand brought on by the severe cold weather of the past several days and telephone system problems that led to difficulty reaching the company.

Reports from worried consumers have drawn the attention of Hassan and the state Office of Energy and Planning, according to spokesman Marc Goldberg.

“The Governor is very concerned about the issues with Fred Fuller Oil Co., and our office, the Office of Energy and Planning, and the Attorney General’s office have been in constant communication about the situation,” he said.

Goldberg said the administration has not yet seen any indication that the Fuller oil issue is related to any sort of larger issue with heating oil supplies in the Northeast.